I met someone on Tinder who's into gardening, and he gave me some pepper seeds for my kids. Following his advice, I put the seeds in a bag with a towel and some water and placed them on top of a portable oil heater to keep them warm. After about an hour, the bag was super hot and almost bursting with air, and I got concerned. Did I ruin my seeds? Are they dead?
3 Answers
Honestly, it seems like you might have killed them. Always go for low heat—heat mats are perfect for seedlings. No need for the towels or bag either! Just keep it simple next time!
Yikes, sounds like you probably cooked your seeds. For germination, you really want a gentle warmth, like from a heating pad on low, not the intense heat from a portable heater. Give it some time; if nothing sprouts, you might want to try again with a better setup.
Sounds like you might have overdosed them on heat! It’s best to use a seed heat mat instead of a room heater because those can get a bit too hot and cook the seeds. For future reference, just some seed starting soil in pots with a little moisture does the trick. They can germinate at room temperature, just keep them in a warm spot, not directly on anything hot!
Totally agree! Heating mats are designed for seeds and won't cook them like a regular heater will.